Burn
by Kei Luna Shoryu
Summary: What started as Smoker's day off quickly turned into chaos, with an irate green-haired businessman, an obnoxious kid, a crowd of law-breaking, law-hating protesters, and a shirtless man with a big tattoo and a cocky grin. AU, ZoLu, very slight SmoAce.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi everyone! I'm KLS, if anyone read Mutual Acquaintances then you may (or maybe not, depending on if you actually read these things) already know me… ish. Anyway, this was a request from the doubleminttwins and after a lot of injuries (both literal and metaphorical) it's finally being posted.**

**Warning: This fic contains strong language so if you're offended… I apologize. Also, I have nothing against cops… Seriously… I don't know what these social groups are, but whatever. It worked… kind of.**

**Pairings(?): ZoroxLuffy, hint(?) of Smoker+Ace**

**Dedication: Doubleminttwins11 for… beating me into submission? That doesn't really sound right.**

**Well, if you read all of that (even if you didn't). This is Burn, enjoy!**

**Burn**

Smoker gave an aggravated sigh as he stepped into the station, dragging a glum-looking man behind him by the arm. He all but pushed the man into the chair, noting with the smallest hint of amusement that the man stumbled as he fell, finding it a bit of a shame that he didn't hit his head.

"Captain! You're back," Smoker looked up, his glare softening when he caught sight of his second, Tashigi. She stopped a few feet in front of him. "I take it you caught the run-away?" she asked, eyeing the man who could only be described as pouting as he sat in the chair. Smoker grunted but didn't reply as he surveyed the station. There were people everywhere, and over half of them in handcuffs. He cursed under his breath at the noise.

He'd knew today would be a long one, since he woke up to hear that there was trouble in front of the courthouse. Everything had gone downhill from there, and it was _supposed _to be his fucking day off, too. He almost considered not showing up, but scrapped the idea. Chief would've had his head if he hadn't been around to explain this mess.

Liberal extremists had decided to swarm the courthouse and set up a giant fucking Burning Man right outside. The firefighters were still trying to put it out before Smoker had taken off, trying to catch at least some of the runners. The statement had been clear enough, and the police had acted as quickly as they could, they'd managed to take out most of the center of the group, but after the initial hit the courthouse and every block in a half-mile radius had been fucking chaos.

"Tashigi." His second straightened abruptly, falling into a salute out of habit.

"Sir?"

"Get these idiots lined up. Now."

"Sir!" the response was immediate and he leaned back on his desk as he watched her make some semblance of order out of the station. He let out another aggravated sigh as he lit up a cigar, closing his eyes and inhaling the toxic fumes greedily as he tried to regain some sense of calm that he'd lost since he'd been called in.

When he opened his eyes again, it was due to the yelling and general havoc that was being created and swiftly degrading into nothing short of a riot. _Fucking extremists_, he thought. He took the time to finish the cigar and let his men try to regain control before stepping forward.

"_Shut up!_" he snapped, causing no small amount of his men to form an immediate salute, and nearly all of the others to jump. "Line it up. Now. Those who don't comply will be shot, and will then proceed to comply. _Move_." He growled. It got people moving, quickly, and he approached his second with his arms crossed.

"Hey! Guy with the white hair and really scary voice, hey, over-"

"Luffy, shut up!" Smoker stopped and turned to the general direction of the yelling.

"But you said you wanted to see someone in charge," his eyes locked onto the whining figure. It was a boy, Smoker refused to think of him as anything else, and he looked for all the world like he was pouting… and like he belonged with the bunch of extreme Liberals they'd gathered. "What better guy than him?"

The man he was talking to appeared to sigh as his head lowered slightly, and Smoker immediately recognized the look that crossed the man's face. It was that resigned type of look he gave when he was dealing with the new recruits making rookie mistakes. One of those things you just can't do shit about, but you really wished you could give to someone else to deal with.

"That's not the way to go about getting attention,"

"You have something you want to admit to?" Smoker asked, silently agreeing without letting it show in his glare. The man turned to look at him, and he had a glare of his own, though it didn't seem to necessarily be directed at him.

"No, I have an appointment to get to, damn it," he snapped, looking more and more aggravated. Smoker raised a disbelieving eyebrow as he looked the other over. He was wearing a black business suit (albeit disheveled); he had green, spiky hair, and a cocky, if not aggravated, air about him.

"And what kind of appointment is that? Going to meet off with your leader?" The man's eye twitched, but he was more distracted by the sudden outraged yells from the crowd.

"We don't have leaders like you government dogs. We have instigators!"

"Yeah, you tell him Johnny!"

"Aww, thanks Yosaku, I always knew you cared."

"Shut up!" Smoker snapped again. He turned back to the handcuffed, suit-wearing trouble-maker with a dark look. "You with these guys?" Before the other could open his mouth, another obtrusive yell came from the impromptu line-up.

"Oh, hell yeah! Zoro's been with us all the way. You'd better watch out, he'll kick your ass you stupid mutt!" Zoro's glare was murderous and he suddenly spun on his heel glaring in the direction of a now-cowering crowd.

"I don't have anything to do with this you morons! I have to be back at work in," he looked around for a clock. "Forty fucking minutes! Shit, this is my lunch break you bastards."

"So your name _is _Zoro," he spun around again.

"Don't pin this on me," he growled. The teen next to him, who had been grinning the entire time, began to laugh loudly; effectively startling both Zoro and Smoker enough to prolong their progressing fight. They both turned to the boy, one with a look of resigned wariness, the other with apprehensive dread.

"Oh man, Johnny looks like he's gonna die." Zoro turned back to Smoker.

"Look, I get an hour to eat, and this is it."

"You seem to be able to control them fairly well," Smoker observed.

"Yeah, well that's because Johnny's an idiot,"

"Hey! I heard that Zoro! But don't worry, we all know how sly you are with the dogs. You'll get us outta here, wontcha?" Zoro twitched again.

"So you're their leader," Smoker stated. This time Zoro bristled. The boy laughed again.

"You weren't paying attention," Smoker's attention switched abruptly. "They said they've got _incinerators_." He said with a completely serious face.

"Instigators, Luffy, he said _instigators_," the boy's – Luffy – face turned from serious to blank in an instant.

"What?" Smoker turned back to Zoro (who was muttering and cursing under his breath as he tried to explain that _'yes, there __**is**__ a difference between incinerators and instigators, and no, he really __**can't **__go lighting things on fire because it sounds like fun'_), figuring it was best for his sanity to just let the boy believe whatever it was that got the kid through the day. After all, he'd heard somewhere it was best not to mess with the crazies. He didn't remember where, but he'd heard it.

"_No one_ is leaving until we find the _instigator_ of this whole mess. So sit down, unless you want to fess up."

"Hey-hey, Zoro ain't our instigator, man, he's nowhere _near _that coordinated."

"Yeah, man, can't even walk across the street without gettin' lost," there was a chorus of various agreements from various people, and Zoro looked like he was about to snap his 'cuffs and commit a bloody murder. Smoker felt much the same and decided for both their sakes that it had gone on long enough, so with an abrupt gesture to Tashigi, and a quick command, the room quieted some, with one glaring exception.

Said exception was currently sitting almost in the midst of the rest, shirt-less, wearing baggy shorts, and laughing in a way that reminded him of the boy standing a few feet away, (Luffy, his mind supplied) while his feet tapped together, and he sat in a position he probably _really_ shouldn't have been able to maintain.

"Hey, Ace! Look Zoro, its Ace! Yo, Ace!" The other straightened, partially, before grinning widely.

"Hey Luffy, what're you doing here? I thought you were going to meet Zoro for some lunch between classes." Luffy nodded.

"I was, and then Zoro got lost-"

"I _didn't _get lost, you weren't at the meeting place!"

"And I had to go find him, and then we figured that the fastest shortcut to Sanji's was through the courthouse. Then we got arrested. And this guy started fighting with Zoro, and he smells like smoke, but it's not that bad. I think I'm gonna call him Smokey,"

"Luffy, you can't go naming people like that," both Luffy and Ace seemed to ignore Zoro's small chime of reason with another laugh and Zoro glanced at the clock, noting with dread that he'd just lost another ten minutes. "Hey, I've only got about a half-hour left. Can we please go, now?"

"Not happening," Smoker replied. "Not until we get the _instigator_." Luffy raised his hand enthusiastically.

"I know, I know!" Smoker almost wanted to ignore him, but he had a job, first and foremost.

"Alright, who is it?" The boy's grin was almost blinding, but his answer gained Smoker's full attention.

"Jimmy Otaku," the following cries of 'Luffy' and 'Why' and 'Come on' and one enthusiastic shout of 'Ace, control him!' only seemed to solidify the one straight truth Smoker had gotten directly.

"Jimmy Otaku?" Smoker repeated, half-skeptical, and half-relieved his unofficial day of work just might have ended early. Luffy nodded happily.

"Uh-huh, I'm pretty sure his real name is James, but everyone calls him Jimmy… Or Jims, or Jimbo… and his _really_ good friends can get away with calling him Slim-Jim, but most people just call him Jim. I knew one guy who called him Sandy… I dunno why." Luffy's laugh was becoming a regular thing. "He was weird."

"Is he in the room?" Smoker asked. Luffy cocked his head to the side.

"I dunno. I've never even _seen _the guy. Then again, some people think Jimmy is a girl. I suppose it could be either way, but that would be pretty cool, if he _is _a girl! I hear he lives in his van. I don't remember what he looks like though," Luffy frowned.

"Are you kidding Luffy? He's a scraggly guy. Total weirdo, but really cool, I mean, he's got so much charisma!"

"Yeah, charisma, looks like a washed-up clown though, and he has a big red nose! Kinda freaky… but he _totally _understands _freedom _of expression. You know what that is, dog-boy? _Freedom _of _expression_?"

"The next person to call me a dog is going to get a bullet sent through his shoulder," Smoker growled.

"Aw, don't let them get to you, Smokey-guy," Smoker twitched at the nickname and glared at Luffy who didn't have the decency to look even slightly embarrassed that the other extreme _Liberals_ were calling him by that fucking nickname.

"Yeah, Smokey-guy, they're full of it! I hear Jimmy goes around in a tutu, of all things. And he wears a swan on his head!"

"No, no, no! They're pulling your chain Smokey, y'see… I know Jim, and he's a pretty average guy. Sure, his hair is styled to look like a three, and he's got this totally cool candle collection in his van, but he's a laid-back guy. Totally down to earth, man…"

And just like that, Smoker's day got longer again. He cursed under his breath as he glared at the room, telling them all to shut up. His eyes lingered on the man from earlier, Ace, who was grinning widely. He winked in a way that could only be called flirtatious before leaning his head back against the wall and shutting his eyes. Smoker couldn't get another cigar fast enough.

Another ten minutes of insane descriptions and variations of where 'Jimmy Otaku' lived, (in his van, man, his _van_! No, no, he totally has a mansion. Better be careful whose toes you step on, eh Smokey-guy? Nah, I heard he lived in a box.) what his van looked like, (it's colorful, filled with expression. He's got the best drugs around. There are lots of free-flowing flowers. I dunno about those guys, but he _does _have beads.) and if he had pets or not, (the only things he owns is his freedom. You can never take away what we really are!) assed before the hand-cuffed suit-wearing trouble-maker finally snapped again.

"If I _tell _you who the fuck Jimmy O-fucking-taku is, will you let me and Luffy out of here so we can get something to eat and go back to our lives?"

"And Ace!" Luffy piped up.

"Not Ace," Zoro replied, not taking his eyes off of Smoker.

"But Zoro," Luffy pouted. "He owes you twenty dollars anyway; why not just make him pay?" Ace, who had been grinning and laughing at the police's expense up to this point, but was slowly getting bored, perked up.

"I could do that. No problem,"

"Yeah you'd fucking better," Zoro grumbled under his breath before sighing. "Ace too," Smoker considered his options. He could stay here and keep playing the fucking guessing game with these bastards, or he could get some real possible answers. He sighed.

"Alright, you, the kid, and the Ace can go. _If _you give me something real," Zoro nodded.

"Jimmy James Otaku isn't a guy, or a girl. He's just some fake person these bastards made up to have a scapegoat. I don't know _who_ the bastard was that started all of this bullshit, but it wasn't me, and it wasn't Luffy, and Ace owes me money. If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say it wasn't any of these poor bastards, but Johnny or Yosaku could definitely tell you more." Zoro shot the two in question a particularly devilish grin before looking back at Smoker. "Now let us go."

Smoker bit down his irritation and nodded to Tashigi. There was nothing he could do about it now. He'd already agreed, and while he didn't get much information, he knew where to look for more. He sent a particularly dark look to Johnny and Yosaku, already beginning to understand where the fucking name just _might've _come from.

He wasn't quite prepared for the sudden riot that sprang up as Zoro was released from his cuffs, and they had to fight to get Ace out and released. There were multiple cries of 'Traitor' and 'Bastard' thrown about, among other things. He had to steady himself when someone crashed into him, and he reached bare shoulders before he knew who'd hit him.

Amusement, mischief, and something that sent Smoker's skin tingling and blood boiling at the same time shown in dark eyes and a freckled face. Black hair fell around that face, framing it and brushing Smoker's fingers which were still holding onto bare shoulders. Smoker wasn't sure if he hated the grin on the boy's face or if he liked it, and with that horrifying thought he quickly let go as if he'd been burned. Ace's chuckle was more subdued than it had been, and the noise from the slowly dying riot faded from his ears.

"Thanks, old man," yeah, Smoker hated the grin. "See ya around?"

"You'd better hope not, brat." Smoker growled back. And, he realized with a start, that he really was a brat. He couldn't have been that old; Smoker would've been severely surprised if the kid had been older than twenty-five. "Get the fuck out of here before I arrest you, _again_." Ace apparently didn't need to be told twice as he gave a wicked grin and a flippant wave before joining the no-longer-handcuffed suit-wearing trouble-maker-Zoro and that obnoxious-kid-Luffy to leave the station. They exchanged a few words while Luffy practically tackled Ace, and Smoker noticed they looked startlingly similar.

Brothers, then, he figured before turning around. He didn't miss the impish grin Ace shot him though, or the smug look Zoro gave before they disappeared, Luffy's laughter still ringing in his ears. It didn't help he couldn't shake the feeling he'd just made a big mistake letting those three leave.

-----

"So, my treat, then?" Ace asked happily as the trio walked out of the station.

"You're damn right, I only have twenty-ish minutes left before I have to go back to work, too…" he muttered. Ace gave a half-shrug as he continued to walk, burying his hands in his pockets.

"Maybe you should work on your sense of direction?" he suggested innocently. Whatever obscenity Zoro was about to shout was abruptly cut off when Zoro almost fell over, and Ace spun to see Luffy had nearly tackled the other man, wrapping his arms enthusiastically around the green-haired man's neck and crushing him into a very energetic and heated kiss.

Zoro, for his part, looked torn between pushing the younger away, and pulling him closer as was evident from his contradictory movements, but in the end, Luffy was not to be denied, and Zoro relented, wrapping his arms around the energetic boy. They pulled away a few moments later, in which Ace had occupied his time by rocking on his heels and looking around at what he could still see of the police stations exterior.

"Don't even think about it, Portgas," Ace blinked before grinning at Zoro.

"Don't even think about what?"

"You've gotten into enough trouble with this courthouse stunt, so leave the police station alone. I won't be bailing you out again." Ace smirked.

"That's a shame. Y'know, ratting 'Jims' out wasn't very nice, right Luffy?" Luffy looked up from studying something on his shirt blankly before something sparked in his eyes and he nodded emphatically.

"Yeah, Zoro… You should be sure to send an apology to him." Zoro thought about arguing, took one look at Luffy's mischievous grin, and thought better of it as he grabbed Luffy's arm.

"Whatever, let's go," he grumbled. Luffy grabbed onto Ace's arm as he passed, dragging him along behind Zoro.

"Ne, Zoro…"

"What?" Luffy looked around.

"Why are we going back to the station?" Zoro stopped and Ace passed in front of him with a smirk.

"C'mon, we'll go to the Baratie, how's that sound Luffy?" Zoro's curse was drowned out by Luffy's yell, and he was about to protest until he saw Luffy who was looking at him with an expression that was more serious than Luffy's usual happy-go-lucky one.

"Zoro… do you want to go somewhere else? I know you wanted to spend today with just the two of us." Zoro gave off an aggravated sigh. While it was true that he _did _want to spend his break with just Luffy, all of those plans had basically gone flying out the window when they'd gotten arrested. He shook his head as he grabbed Luffy's arm and walked past Ace (again) with determination.

"Don't worry about it Luffy, besides," Zoro smirked, his usual cocky smirk that made Luffy immediately lighten up and get a happy, if not mischievous spark, in his eyes. "You'll just have to make it up to me later. And now I can kick that stupid love-cook's ass for making me pay extra when he gave Nami that extra drink." Luffy nearly tackled him again, and Zoro gave into the embrace without a fuss, even if he did give a long-suffering, resigned sort of sigh. Because really, you just couldn't say 'no' to Luffy.

"Sounds great, but uh, Zoro," Ace's voice drifted into his head and he pulled away from the man's younger brother. Ace's smirk made Zoro tense, _just _that much. "You're still going the wrong way."


	2. Chapter 2

**KLS**: Wow, so um.. hi.... I owe apologies to all of you, mainly my very first, like, three or four whom I told this chapter would be out months and years and months and years ago. A lot of things happened, involving but not limited to: lost notebooks, writer's block, school, lost notebooks (again), laziness (sorry!!), more writer's block, mixed up priorities, family, and more...laziness. Anyway, this hasn't been beta'ed, so I apologize for any inconsistencies, of which I know there will be. In answer to a commonly asked question: No, I did not intend to continue this. In fact, this chapter was brought about by a very special reviewer who brought up the prospect of a GPS for Zoro. You know who you are. For those still on board, please enjoy.

* * *

"Oi, Marimo, the hell is your problem?" Sanji's voice grated on Zoro's ears and he was grinding his teeth together before Sanji could even finish the question.

"Zoro missed his meeting," Ace's voice made Zoro's hands form tightly into fists. He could feel the bastard cook's eye on him – eye, singular, because the idiot obscured his vision on _purpose_, which was appalling in and of itself – but it was the words that got him.

"What, did he get lost on his way to the board room? It's on the same freakin' floor!"

"I didn't get lost!" Zoro snapped. He glared at the deadpan expression and had to look away to stop from punching the stupid cook. As tempting as the thought was Luffy was enjoying himself, and Zoro had enough self control to not start a brawl with the bastard in the middle of restaurant.

"Riiight," he drawled before dismissing him and turning back to Ace. …At least enough to wait for Luffy to finish eating.

"Ne Zoro, you probably wouldn't have gotten arrested if you hadn't gotten lost meeting with Luffy," Zoro growled.

"I didn't get lost! Luffy wasn't at the meeting place."

"Wait, you were arrested?" Sanji turned back to Zoro. It was Luffy who answered, pulled away from his food by the conversation.

"Yeah, that was fun."

"What'd you do?"

"_I _didn't do anything," Ace held his hands up in a surrendering gesture as Zoro sent him a glare.

"Y'know Zoro, these things might not happen if you paid more attention. Maybe you should carry around a map or something."

"Please Ace, if anything he'd get more lost. A map would just give him more places to get lost _to_."

"A GPS?"

"He'd break it."

"He could use those maps they have at the zoo pretty well," Luffy piped up. Zoro, who'd been seething in his spot, gave Luffy a half-glare, half-look of betrayal. Luffy, unrepentant, gave him a hug and chaste kiss before returning to his meal. Ace grinned.

"D'you think the city would make one for him?" Sanji shrugged, not even bothering to look at Zoro, the smug bastard.

"Even if they would, I don't think you should be the one to go and ask." Sanji gave him a pointed look and Ace's grin turned sheepish. Zoro snorted his agreement, sending an idle glare to the blonde as he did so, just to show he was still mad and not actually _agreeing _with Sanji.

"Hey, isn't that Smokey-guy?" Zoro, who'd been in the process of drinking, choked as he tried to swallow, coughing fitfully. Ace chuckled as he raised his glass to his lips.

"Well whaddya know?"

"Hey, Smokey-guy!" Ace's eyes widened as he all but spat out his drink, joining Zoro. Sanji glanced over to the Baratie's new arrival, looking back to Luffy curiously.

"Luffy, what are you doing calling to some old geezer?"

"Aw, he's not that old. 'Least, he's got nothing on Gramps."

"Yeah, but your grandpa is fucking ancient, Luffy." Luffy grinned widely as he took a bite out of something he'd mixed and mauled.

"Yeah,"

"So anyway, who is he?"

"Hm? Who's who?"

"Smokey-guy," Sanji deadpanned.

"Oh! He's really cool. He does this really funny breathing thing and his eye starts to twitch when he gets angry. You should totally see it!"

"Um, I'll pass."

"Besides," Ace cut in slightly breathless as he had recovered and pointing across the restaurant. "I don't think he heard you."

"So what'd he do?" Ace sent Sanji a look that made Sanji uneasy before Luffy's cheery voice explained why.

"He let me, n' Zoro, n' Ace go from the station."

"He did what? How?"

"He's a captain! …I think…"

"And he's leaving, too." Zoro muttered with a sigh.

"What!?" Zoro turned with a raised eyebrow. Luffy, he'd expected. The boy was excitable and it'd probably take a little coaxing to convince the boy to leave the Captain alone. But that didn't explain Sanji.

The blond looked irritated, or insulted…or both. Actually, he looked kind of like he did when that one idiot insulted his cooking. What was his name? Dawn Creek? Yeah, something stupid like that anyway.

"Hey, Zoro when did you say your next meeting was?" The green-haired man sent Ace a sidelong glance before leaning back in his chair. Ace didn't look worried or tense, or like he was trying to hide anything, so he wouldn't bother with it either… for now.

"In a little while," he replied, staring stupidly at Sanji's back, who was half-glaring at and talking animatedly to the Captain. His cigarette was even lit. When the hell did he get over there?

* * *

Smoker was pissed. His day had started bad and gotten worse, and it wasn't getting any better. He'd thought things were going to get better after he released those three pests from the station. Instead, it was like someone had flipped a fucking switch. They had all started talking and joking around in a way that made them seem like they'd been _tense _before. It didn't help any that everyone he'd questioned had started up with that infernal nickname that Luffy kid had given him. The bastards had even acted like they were old fuckin' pals, _all of them_.

Johnny and Yosaku hadn't been helpful in any sense of the word. For all that they talked they never seemed to say anything useful. It probably didn't help any that _Johnny _seemed to think he'd told him everything. Smoker had left just short of strangling the cocky bastard. It was probably a good thing Tashigi had come to take his place when she had. Needless to say, he'd left before he had to file about ten different forms per person he killed.

"Hey, Smokey-guy!" Oh, God, no. He couldn't deal with him. It wasn't happening. He looked around the restaurant warily, his eyes locking on a table with the three he'd spent his entire day cursing. He didn't know how they'd even gotten in this place.

It was high-class, filled with fancy dressed up present-day nobles. Hell, the only reason _Smoker _was here was because there'd apparently been a call earlier that no one had gotten around to responding to, and now that he'd been called in he couldn't leave, one of the Chief's rules, though everyone knew he broke them. Probably just for the hell of it.

Although… Smoker glanced around. Everything looked to be in order... Maybe he could get out of here and not deal with the three newest banes to his existence. His mind made, Smoker turned to do just that when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Excuse me?"

"What, first we're not good enough for a couple of shitty patrolmen to come by, and now we're not good enough for their shitty Captain to eat at?" Smoker blinked, a blank look crossing his face as he turned back to the – waiter?

"I'll ignore you calling me 'shitty' in favor of asking you what the hell you're talking about. I came here to file a report on the call that was made by this place, something about a disturbance and broken furniture? Which, by the way, I'm beginning to think was a serious hoax. This place looks fine."

The man in front of him bristled, a single blue eye blazing in anger before it shut and the lifted a cigarette to his mouth, lighting it and inhaling deeply. Honestly, Smoker wanted to do the same.

"We have an image to uphold. That call was made two week ago. Do you really–"

"Oi, Sanji! What the hell are you doing!? We got customers and that kid o' yours is usin' up all our stock!" The blonde–Sanji–let out a light curse as he grabbed onto Smoker's arm and started toward the kitchen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Takin' you to the old man. He can deal with this crap. I got work to do. Hey! Patty, take the _Captain_. I'll take care of Luffy."

"Wait a second, you know Luffy?" the blonde paused long enough to scoff.

"Who _doesn't _know Luffy?"

"So you know the Ace then, too?" A disbelieving blue eye landed on him and the entire kitchen fell eerily silent before laughter erupted around them.

"The Ace? Yeah, he's Luffy's brother," and with that the blonde disappeared, leaving Smoker to get pushed further toward the back by random chefs.

* * *

Sanji walked back to Luffy's table with a smirk on his face. "So, Luffy, are you and _The Ace _headed out?" Zoro sent the blond a look that was swiftly ignored, even though he was the one who answered.

"We have to. I have some things I need to check up on and Luffy has classes in about half an hour."

"Aw, I do?"

"I can stay."

"Not without a shirt. You're lucky you attract almost as many girls as I do, or the old man would've kicked your ass." Ace laughed.

"He almost did anyway."

"As I recall that was one of the only times you've paid for your meal."

"And on that note, he would ya look at the time? We really should get going."

"I thought you could stay."

"I thought I needed a shirt."

"Whatever, come on Luffy. I'll have someone take you to school." Luffy brightened considerably, as he turned to Zoro.

"Can I ride in the car with the buttons and the window? And the TV?"

"Hm? What, the limo? Yeah, sure,"

"Hold it, just who the hell is paying for this?" Zoro smirked, dark eyes trailing over to where Ace was sitting. The man winced as he remembered just _what _ his freedom from the station earlier entitled him to do.

"_Him!? _He's _Ace_! He never pays!" Zoro shrugged.

"Food was on him." And with that, he tugged on Luffy's arm, leaving the restaurant. Ace watched them go with a small smile before turning back to Sanji.

"They're cute, aren't they?" Sanji deadpanned.

"Yeah, I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Just, do us all a favor and lie low for a few weeks, okay?" Sanji glanced back toward the kitchen doors. "I don't know if he was just leaving or not, but you got lucky the old man's been pissed with the police for a while now." Ace nodded, all pretenses disappearing with his brother gone.

"I'll think about it. Don't worry. I think I'm gonna go see Pops for a bit, then see what Franky made Johnny and Yosaku do after they got bailed out." The cook nodded but grabbed Ace's arm as he turned to leave.

"You still owe me money." Ace winced before sighing heavily and reaching into his short's pockets, glancing back up at Sanji, the barest hints of a smile on his face.

"I suppose Robin wouldn't be happy with me if she found out I was still dinin' and dashin', hm? What, with her being back and all." Sanji's expression brightened.

"Robin's back in town?" Ace tensed, nodding warily as he studied to cook.

"Yeah, I saw her when people first started showing up at the courthouse. She sent me a Look. I'm pretty sure it had something to do with you."

"Really!?" Sanji spun, his excitement at the prospect of seeing the black-haired woman again overtaking his immediate concern and Ace took the opportunity, slipping away and out of the restaurant, out of sight.

"Ah, the distraction of love…"


End file.
